Kwa Mkono Calendar 2009

Lesley and Keith Wright, who with Joy and Paul Savin visited Kwa Mkono Hostel last year, have produced an engagement calendar for 2009. It is A4 size but designed to open out and hang on the wall. At just £5.50 (plus 75p postage) it is very good value. Every penny raised will go to the project.

January shows Sr. Magdalene and the first children to be helped by the hostel. In the mid 1960s Sr. Magdalene became aware that a number of local children had become disabled by polio. She arranged for them to have surgery and physiotherapy at the regional hospital.

February pictures Canon Edward Kihala. As parish priest he looked after some of the first children at his home until the hostel was built in the 1970s. He has now retired but still lives in the village and visits the hostel often.

March shows children relaxing after school. Children usually come to the hostel between 7 and 10 years old. They attend the village primary school but have to pass an exam and pay for secondary education and college.

April, and the children are doing their homework. School work is very important and the older children help the younger ones. At secondary school all lessons are taught in English. One of the older boys supervises the younger ones.

May depicts a typical meal. Maize porridge is the staple food, they have it two or three times a day. When funds allow they enjoy rice with beans stew and vegetables for one meal and, on special occasions, goat meat or chicken.

June, and these bananas and other fruit trees grow in the grounds where the hostel also tries to grow some of the maize it needs. Recently the harvests have been poor and so supplies have to be purchased at market, which is expensive.

July pictures one of the boys who wants to be a hairdresser. He cuts hair using a razor blade. It is very important that all the children learn a trade so they can support themselves when they leave.

 

August shows repairs being made to a wheelchair. Outside the hostel the paths and roads are very uneven so repairs are frequently needed to keep the wheelchairs safe to use. Seven new chairs have been bought to replace those beyond repair.

September, and everyone helps collecting water. When the rain water harvesting tanks are empty, water has to be collected from a pump in the valley. New guttering and pipes will hopefully reduce the need to fetch water.

October shows the hand pump at one of three bore holes in the valley about a mile from the hostel. Although the water quality is good, the distance and terrain make transporting the water up the hill difficult.

 

November brings a reminder that Celebration is an important part of Hostel life. Everyone enjoys a party and the hostel invites the local people to join in the fun. Although David the tailor walks with crutches he does acrobatics on his hands with Aidano the warden.

December and the children and staff and everyone at the polio hostel thanks you for your support and wishes you all a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

 

The calendar offers a glimpse of what life at the Hostel is like. By buying one (or more - they make excellent Christmas presents!) you will be helping that work to continue and to expand.

To get yours simply contact:

The Parish Office, Christ Church Vicarage, Leggatts Way, Watford, Herts WD24 5NQ Phone: 01923 672240

or

Click here to e-mail us

 

 

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